Internal-combustion engine.



w. R. F. RATCHETT. INTERNAL COMBKSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FltED JUNE 4i914.

Patented Dec. v18; 1.917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I Vl/EN TOR:

ATTORNEY.

' W. H. F. PATCHETT.

INTERNAL CYOMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED IuNE4. 1914.

1,250,346. Patented De.18,1917.

' 3sIIETs-SIIT 2.

l BY

TTORNE Y.

W. R. F. PATCHETT.' INTERNL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 4.1914. l

- Patented Dec. 18,1917.

m UFv /WA WILLIAM Bfr. PATCHETT,

.BooTH, oF LEEDS, ENGLAND.A

INTERNAL-composicion ENGINE.;

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ViLLiAM R, F. PATCH- n'r'r, a subject of the King'ofEngland, re-w siding at Bolton, Lancashire, England, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Internal-Combustion Engines,anddeclare thel following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, such as willV enable others skilled inthe art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines of the two cycletype, and an object of the invention is an engine of the type statedhaving a higher efficiency and a greater range of variation in operationthan has commonly heretofore attained. I accomplish this and otherobjects through rovidinff a workin@` unit of two c linders havingpistons connected in opposite rela.`

tion to a single crank shaft and the fresh, explosive, `fases areadmitted alternateiy' to the' explosion chambers of the vcylindersthrough a common valve rotatably mounted in proper relation therewithAand so Vconstructed and arranged as to operate at comparatively slowspeed and without overheating. The pistons are of the stepped type, thelower larger one of which provides the compressed charge for theworkingpiston of the opposite cylinder and vice versa.

IVith the usual explosion engines utilizing` a rotatable valvek forcontrolling the fioiv of gases to and from the working chamber,-

- herein disclosed the compressed charge is introduced into theupper endof the cylinder, atth'ev proper time. and flows 4downwardf therethroughforcing the'burnt gases lout .at

the bottom and, upon-'the' compression stroke,

1V .fthe 4vfresh. gas ispocketed aboutthe sparking Application filed-.Tune 4, 1914. Serial No. 842,819.

spammen bf Letters Patent. ,i Patente-d Dec, 1S, 1917,

. terminals resulting .in proper firing Vof thev charge.` Inyconjunction with such proper scavenging ofthe working cylinder andprovision of clean explosivemixture,the valve employed provides Lachamber vin which the large vcompression .piston of one` cylinder forcesa .fresh mixture v,on its1up-stroke, the

i, ernten orY BOLTON,l ENGLANnJAssIeNoR or cnn-THIRD 'roiaonitn capacityof the valve and of the vconduits leading thereinto from the compressioncyl-y inder determining :the extent, of the compression of the gas prior`to its introduction into' the explosion chamber of the opposite'-cylinder. By this arrangement the compres-v sion stroke of theworkingcylindermaybe made to compress tliegas to any desired cle-- greedepending of course upon the degree of its compression prior toitsintroduction into the `explosion chamber, and althoughthe hollowrotaryvalve herein disclosed is not. Y

adjustable in capacity, the extent of .prior compression desired maybereadily'deter-,-

minedma-thematically, or by experiment as` the designer may prefer.These and various other objects and'lnovel features of construc- .I

tion are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in theaccompanying drawingsinwhich Figure l isia side elevation oflan engine.V

embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the two cylinders, onev of whichissectioned yon the center line fof the cylinder showing Ythe cylinderport in the head thereof and the other Y one of which is shownsubstantially on a line w-m-y/ z of Fig. l. 'showing clearly the bypassfrom the compression cylinder leading Vinto the rotary valve.

Fig Sais an elevation ofthe rotary valve. yFig. 4 is an elevation of oneendv thereof.

Fig. 5 is-an elevation in the opposite'end thereof.

Fig. e is ,a valve.- j

Fig. l7 shows a section of the valveon line :1i-m of'Fig. 6, showingthe'relation of the ports 'to thebypasses oft-the two cylinderscontrolled .by the compression pistonsl.

- Y. '.95 longitudinal vsection of thev Fig.` 8"isfa.1section throughthe valve on,` v

line g/-y/ of Fig. VGshowing the relatin'in-,of` the por'ts in the planeofsaidffsection tothe passages leading into vthe explosion chamber of.the two. cylinders. Y

..Siniilar cliaractersjrje fer,.t o n throughoiitj the drawings and vspevcitication.: l 1;

As heretofore stated two cylinders are required to form a working unitas shown at 1 and 2 in Fig. 2. As clearly shown in said figures, thecylinder 1` has a chamber 3 for the piston 4 and a chamber 5 for thepiston 6 formed integrally with the .pistoni The cylinder 2 is likewiseformed and provided with ka `workingrpiston 7 and a compression pistonS.V The explosion chambers are properly water-jacketed as may be seeninFig. 2 to prevent overheating of the walls thereof and the upper endofthe explosion chamber is formed in the detachable head 9. The headhowever may be formed integrally with the cylinder casting if sodesired. The upper end of the explosion chamber is substantiallycone-shaped and leading from the apex thereof is a passageway 10 openingthrough the wall 11 of the chamber in which the rotary valve 12 ispositioned and providingan inlet port 13. Both cylinders are providedwith similar ports as may be seen clearly in Fig. 8. The rotary valve 12is provided with a series of ports 1t adapted to register successivelywith the ports 13 and 13a of the explosion chambers of the twocylinders, the ports in the valve being so positioned that when a port14 is open to one ofthe cylinder ports, the other cylinder port isclosed. .Each cylinder is provided with a passageway 15 or 15a openinginto the compression chamber controlled by the large piston 6 or 8. Therelation of the two passages 15 and 15a to the rotary valve isshownclearly in Fig. 7 where it may be seen that when one of the ports16 of the valve is open to the passageway 15, the other passage 15 isclosed thereto but is open to a port having a different functionashereinafter described. The passageways 15 and 15."L open intothe valvechamber at one end thereof while the ports 13 and 13a of theexplosionchambers open into the said valve chamber at the other end thereof. 'Theports 14 in the valve register with said cylinder ports while theports16 and 17 alternately register with thepassageways 15 yand 15a.

The valve 12 has a flange 18 uponone end the'reofvadapted to ride in a'socket provided in theengine head, andthe opposite end is provided witha shaft 19 having a key Y2O adapted to engage ina slot provided in theclosed end of the valve. Said key and'slot, as shown in Fig. 4, areformed at one side o f the center of the shaft and valve which 1sVdesirable in order that, in dismounting and a bevel gear 20ais'securedrto the projecting is a bevel gear 21 ona vertical shaft'Eggsaid gearsbeinginclsed *in a l j'joc'lretQ'QS "iin the enginemanwhich szfpreveelvvltheaeover y plate 24.: The shaft 22 terminates in aradially grooved or serrated head 25 adapted to vengage a similarlyformed head 526 on the head 26 ofthe shaft 27 to bind the two serratedfaces of the heads 25 and 26 in position. To alter the timing of thevalve, said coupling nut 28 is loosened and one or the other of saidshafts rotated to the right or left and again brought into engagementand secured in place by the coupling whereupon the valve opens andcloses either earlier or later as may be necessary to produce thedesired result. As shown more clearly by dotted lines in Fig. 1, theshaft 27 terminates in a bevel gear 29 meshing with a like gear 30 onthe horizontally positioned shaft 31 that may be conveniently mounted inbearings provided on the crank case. On the shaft 31 is a spur ygear 32meshing with a spur gear 33 on the'crank shaft 34 of the engine. Therelation of the gear train above describedis such that the valve 12rotates at one-third the speed of the crank shaft 81, such slow speedbeing possible by reason of the porting of the valve and the wallengaged thereby as heretofore mentioned.

As shown in Fig. 1, the gears 32 Vandf may be provided with an inclosingeasing 35 and in the said view is shown a casing 36 that may be providedto inelose the driving chain or belt for operating a force feed oiler,the outline of which is shown by dotted lines 37. As oiling devices arecommon in this art in which means are employed to force oil toV theparts that are desired to be lubricated, further description thereof isdeemed nnnecessary it being understood that tubes may be employed tocarry the oil to such parts as require lubrication, as for instance, tothe channel 38 in the engine head yleading to and terminating in thewall of the valve chamber, and by means of which the valve may beproperly lubricated.

The peculiar structure of the valve and the relation of the ports'one toanother and to the ports in the walls of the valve chamber are shownclearly in Figs. 3 to 8 inclusive. In what may be termed the intake endof the valve, there are six ports in the circumferential wall thereof,three of which are similar to the port 16and three of which. are similarto the port 17, as shownin seetion in Fig. 6. Each of the ports 16connects with the inlet channel Ll() centrally in the end of the valvewith which the intake manifold 41 registers. To this manifold 41 issecured a carbureter of any approved form. As may be seen in Fig. 7,when one of the ports 16-is in registration with the port ofthe bypassorconduit 15, one of the ports 17 is in reg-istrati'on withVthejloypa'ss y15 `of the other cylinder. :es beijseen in 'Fig.6=,'itlaeports'l'? lead Yinto the "interior ofthe valve bodyandfcommunicate,withfzthc ports 14 therein which registervalternatelywith the ports 13 and 132L of theexplosion chambers. The operation ofthe engine is as'follows:

LetA it be supposed that ythe pistons 7 and 8 o bypass 15. The downwardmovement of the draws fresh gas piston 8 in the compression chamber ofsaid cylinder 2 draws aI charge from` the carbureter channel through oneof theports 16 and the bypass 15 into the chamber surrounding the piston7. Prior to the piston reaching the bottom of its stroke Vthe valve hasrotated sutliciently for the 'said port A16 to be closed to the bypass15, and as the piston starts on its upstroke, one of the ports 17registers with thev bypass 15, and the charge 'in the compressionchamber controlled bythe piston 8 is forced through the port 17 into thehollow body of the valve. It is to be noted that this vfuel charge iscold and being brought into vthe interior of the valve aids inmaintaining the valve at low temperature. As the port 16 passes out ofregistration with the port of the bypass '15' Vand as the working pistonof the opposite cylinder reaches the bottom-of itsfdownward stroke, oneof the ports-14 registers with the port 13 in the upper end of thecylinder casing 1, and this compressed charge in the valve body flowsinto the -upper end of the explosion chamber of the cylinder` 1, forcingthe gases therein out'through the exhaust port leading tothe exhaustmanifold 46 common to both cylinders. As the said port 14 passes out ofregistration with the port 13, ,the vpiston 4 begins its 11p-stroke inwhich the fresh charge introduced thereinto is further compressed, thepurest gas beingin the upper endk of the explosion chamber in thepassageway 10 inthe upper end of which is located-a spark plug 47 Duringthis upward compression stroke of the pistons 4 and G a charge is forcedthrough the bypass 15a into the hollow interior of the valve for use incylinder 1.y As the'piston 4 reaches the uppermost part of its stroke,or at such other period as may be determined by a commutator or thelike, a spark is produced by means of the usual devices for this purposeand theA charge in the cylinder 1 is exploded, forcing the pistoni 4downward on its working stroke,during which movement'the lpiston 6 intothe compressionchamben Y ,e

cylinders Y'and that one-j prepares and 'Y compresses theIexplosivechzuge 'for use the other cylinder, the fuelV chargebeingprop'- erly distributed or delivered throughopera'- tion of therotatable valve 12. p A As heretoforestated there are three ports ofVeach kinddescribed in the valve body so2 that each bypass andcompressionchamber aswell as the explosion chamber is opened to thevalve at eachthird of a revolution there#v of, the ports beingproperly-relatively spaced circumferentially about the-valve. There-vfore, the valve mayrotate-very slowly. It

is alsoto be noted that thevalve may be set so that the ports Vmayv openandclose either early or late-relative to V-thepiston position by meansof the coupling 28heretofore' described but the relative position of thevalve ports one to another may not be altered.

Byl providing an exhaust port controlled by`V l the working piston, thehot burned gases do not pass Vthrough the rotatable Valve and,therefore, said valve may be readily kept cool;-YV i v By using a valveof thetyp'e'described to control the flow of gas alternately to the'compression chambers and properly'distribute the charge alternately-tothe'explosion" chambers ofthe two cylinders, the efficiency of theengine approximates that of the usual four-Cycle type,'as the bypass 15Aor 15a leading'to the respective compression chamber may-be opened tothecarbureter and fuelv drawn therethrough forpractically' the entireworking stroke of the piston, which-:is

contrary to the action of the ordinary twocycle engine in which theinlet port isopened forY but avery small part of the piston stroke; Alsoby delivering the fuel charge into the'upper end of the explosionchamber the burned gases are actually forcedout of l.

thcexhaust'port by the inflowing charge;V

The preferable setting of the valve relative to the bypass ports issuchthat the said ports are opened about 15 degrees over the upper deadcenter-and' closed 35 to 45 degrecs late, or beyond the bottom deadcenter. By such arrangement the compression chamber Vis sure ofobtaining a. complete and full charge under all speeds of operation. Theports 14 are so positioned as to open just after the piston passesv theupper edge of the exhaust port and the burned gases be-v gin to flowtherethrough," said'port's being open until the exhaust port is againclosed on the return stroke of thesaid piston. It will be noted that bythis arrangement the said port leading into the explosion chamber isopened before the piston'therein has reached the bottom of its strokeland before the pistoninfthecompanion cylinder has y.reachedtheruppermost point of its stroke. `There- Y fore, the Vlas in thehollo'wfinterior of the I It 1s thus to be seen thatthepistons oper-fate in alternate-relation in the respective` valve,^which yhas'pbee'nLput into a state of compressionV priorto the opening of the ex Yplosion chamber, is impelledyafter the open- ,A

ing Yor'thesairi port, bvthe ascending piston- TS@ oft-heV companion,cylinder thus forcibly ejecting the burned gases in the explosionchamber under consideration.

As is shown in Fig. 3, expanding rings 50, 51 and 52 are preferablyemployed for preventing a leakage of gas from a port le along thesurface'ot' the valve body to a port 16 or 17. As is also shown 1n saidfigure, tfhe surface of the valve near the ports may be groovedlongitudinally as at 53 or 54, with very line grooves. Tle purpose otthese grooves is to retain oil and not only properly lubricate theinteriory surface of the valve chamber, but also serve to oilpack eachof the said ports and prevent gas passing circumterentially about thevalve from one port to another. These grooves are supplied with oilthrough a channel 3S and other channels leading into the valve chamber,preferably at points contacted by the valve rings, which by reason oftheir expansion prevent a too rapid .flow of oil into the chamber. Bysuch provision otpaclring rings and oil grooves the valve body may bemade to comparatively loosely lit in the valve chamber whereby whateverexpansion is caused by heating ot the valve does not make the said valvestick in the chamber, and the valve will operate equally as well whenthe engine is cold at the time ot starting as at a later period when theparts have become heated and tightly fit the inclosing wall.

The size ot the interior of the rotatable valve determines largely theextent to which the charge is compressed prior to delivery to theexplosion chamber of either cylinder, and the charge may be compressedto considerably higher degree in the engine herein disclosed, than inany engine of the two cycle type'with which l am familiar. As the engineis therefore, somewhat diliicult to turn over by operation of the crank(SO, I have provided relief valve 61 about midway of the length of theexplosion chamber of both cylinders which may be opened at the time itis desired to start the engine..

By such arrangement the workingpistons only compress the chargeremaining above the port 62 leading to the relief valve. As soon as theengine starts to operate the valves 61 may be closed whereupon theengine will compress the charge to a greater degree prior to ignition.

'Having thus brieiiy described my invention and its mode of operation,what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesisl. An internal. combustion engine of the two cycle type comprising,asV aV working unit, a pair ot' cylinders each provided with a.compression chamber Vand an explosion chamber, pistons in saidcylinders arranged to operate in alternaterelation Aand fitting netti-afsat1. allerbeste' valt@ way between the cylinders at vthe upper endthereof, passage-ways leading from the heads ot' the explosion chambersto corresponding ports onvopposite sides of the valve chamber,passageways leading from the compression chambers to similar ports inopposite sides ot' the said valve chamber, a hollow cylindrical valve insaid chamber having a port adapted to register successively with theports in communication with the explo-` sion chambers and also having aport adapt.- ed to register successively with the ports in communicationwith the compression chambers, the valve ports being so relativelypositioned that when one port is opened to the compression chamber ofone cylinder the other port is opened to the explosion chamber of theother cylinder, the said valveV ports being in communication through thehollow interior ofthe valve, said valve also having a port adapted toregister with the ports in communication with the compression chambersand in alternate relation with the other port so adapted to register,said last named portbeing continuously in communication with a chargeforming device and closed to the interior of the valve.

2. An internal combustion engine of the two cycle type comprising a pairvof cylinders each provided with a compression chamber and an explosionchamber', pistons arranged to operate in alternate relation and eachfitting both ot said chambers in its respective cylinder, thecompression chamber ot one cylinder being adapted to produce anexplosive charge 'for the explosion chamber of the other cylinder, eachof said Cylinders having an inlet port in the upper end of the explosionchamberl and an exhaust port near the lower end thereof, a valve chambersubstantially midway between the cylinders at the upper end thereofhaving ports in thewall each in communication with the explosion chamberot' a single cylinder, and other ports each communieating with thecompression chamber ofa single cylinder, a hollow cylindrical valveadapted to be rotated in said chamber in timed relation with the pistonmovement, said valve having a plurality of ports adapted to registersuccessively with the ports in` communication with the explosionchambers, and a second series of ports adapted to successively registerwith the ports in communication with the compression chambers, saidl'irst and second series of valve ports being irl-communication throughthe interior of the Nvalve, said valve also being provided with aV thirdseries ot ports alternating with the said second series and adapted tosuccessively register with the ports in communication with thecompression,chambers,.said last named ports-eachbeing in communicationwith a charge Iforming 4devicefr'andl eine@ifaetheaetsneat.tamales lll()An internal combustion engine of the two cycle type comprising a pair ofcylinders each having an explosion chamber and a compression chamber,pistons for said cylinders adapted to reciprocate therein in alternaterelation, a valve chamber, passageways leading from the heads of theexplosion chambers to corresponding ports on opposite sides of the valvechamber, passa geways leading from the compression chambers to similarports in opposite sides of the said valve chamber, a hollow cylindricalvalve in said chamber having a port adapted to register successivelywith the ports in communication with the explosion chambers and alsohaving a port adapted to registersuccessively with the ports incommunication with the compression chambers, the valve ports being sorelatively positioned that when one port is opened to one of thecompression chambers the other valve port is opened to the eXplosionchamber of theother cylinder, the said valve ports being incommunication through the hollow interior of the valve, said valve alsohaving a port adapted to register with the ports in communication withthe compression chamberV and in alternate relation with the other valveport so adapted to register, said last named port being continuously incommunication with a charge forming device and closed to the interior ofthe valve.

4. An internal Combustion engine of the two cycle type comprising, as aworking unit, a pair ot' cylinders each having a compression chamber andan explosion chamber, pistons in said cylinders adapted to operate inalternate relation, each explosion Chamber having an exhaust portcontrolled by the piston therein, a cylindrical valve chamber,passageways leading from the heads of the explosion chambers tocorresponding ports on opposite sides ofthelongitudinally spaced fromsaid first named,

chamber ports, a hollow cylindrical valve in said chamber, means forrotating said valve in timed relation with the piston movement, saidvalve having a plurality ot ports therein adapted to registersuccessively with the ports in communication with the explosion chambersand also having a plurality of ports adapted to register successivelywith the ports in communication with the compression chambers, the saidvalve ports being so relatively positioned that when a port of oneseries is opened to the compression chamber of one cylinder, a lport ofthe other series is opened to the explosion chamber of the othercvlinder, the said sets of valve ports being continuously incommunication through the hollow interior of the valve, said valve alsohaving a plurality of ports adapted to register successively with thevalve chamber ports in communication with the compression chambers landin alternate relation with the other series so adapted to register, saidthird series of ports being in communication with a charge formingdevice and closed to the interior ofthe valve.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specilication in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM R. F. IATCHETT.k

Copies or this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, 'by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

. v Washington, D. C. v Y

